Hendricks Power Cooperative and Solential Energy plan to build a 7 MWac solar array in Hendricks County, Ind. The C&B Graham Solar Energy Project, named for the local family providing 60 acres of land for the project, is the largest solar array developed by Hendricks Power and the largest for a rural electric membership cooperative (REMC) in Indiana.
Hendricks Power selected Carmel, Indiana-based Solential Energy as its solar development partner based on its reputation for successfully partnering with REMCs on solar projects across the Midwest. This is Solential’s largest utility-scale solar installation in its 13-year history. Some 19,225 solar PV panels will be installed on the rural site in Tilden.
Site work is underway. The array will be commissioned and generating solar power by mid 2023.
“While our power supplier continues to increase their renewable portfolio, we are proud to take on this solar initiative independently,” stated Hendricks Power CEO Greg Ternet. “Adding a renewable resource to our system, at a cost comparable to our wholesale power supplier, shows that we are environmentally and cost conscientious. We are also proud to work in tandem with our local partners and look forward to expanding upon this platform to allow member-owner participation.”
Hendricks Power’s C&B Graham Energy solar project is being financed by Denver-based Solriver Capital, which invests in distributed generation and utility scale solar and storage projects across the United States.
The announcement will be well received by the 35,000 residential, commercial, and industrial members across the county, says Hendricks County businessman and farmer Andy Lynch, who “are experiencing the stress of rising energy prices.:
“Many have expressed interest in renewable energy and will welcome the fact that our county will soon generate clean solar to power local homes, farms and businesses. Ultimately, our priority is keeping energy affordable and sustainable,” Lynch says. He has been a member of Hendricks Power’s board of directors since 1998 and serves as the board’s chair.
Solential Energy has been delivering custom energy strategies based on renewable solar power to customers across the Midwest since 2009. In recent years, the company has partnered with REMCs, schools, correctional facilities, municipal water and wastewater treatment plants, and large agribusinesses seeking to control energy costs while also achieving improved energy efficiency, resiliency and carbon neutrality.
“This is truly a special project for Solential because not only is it the largest solar installation we have ever developed, but also due to the significant impact the C&B Graham Solar Energy Project will have on cooperative members now and in the future,” says Solential CEO Jim Shaw.
Tags: utility-scale
